Mamluks of the ruling sultan (Julban) in the military and political system of the Circassian sultanate (1382-1517)

In the Circassian Sultanate, the high-rank amirs of the mamluk army formed the basis of the political elite, with the army serving as the pillar and guarantor of the ruler’s authority. The core of this army consisted of the julban, a corps of military slaves, purchased, raised, and trained by the sultan. As the sultan’s personal faction and guards, the julban had some privileges, and sultans compromised with their increasing demands and rebellious conduct. Using their almost complete impunity, the julban terrorized the residents of Cairo and officials of the mamluk administration, attacked the amirs, and even rebelled against their master. By the middle of the 15th century, the julban evolved into a disruptive force, negatively affecting both the authority of the sultan and the state of the mamluk army. The study deals with the revolt of 1468, illuminating the dynamics of the julban’s position in the Mamluk political system. Through a careful analysis of Mamluk chronicles, the authors demonstrate that the non-dynastic succession system resisted attempts to establish dynasties in which the julban was an active player, as well as thwarted the julban’s attempts to put their leader on the throne. Based on Arabic sources of the 15th - early 16th centuries, the paper traces the gradual changes in the julban’s status. The decline in discipline within the julban ranks contributed to the Mamluks’ defeat during their confrontation with the Ottomans.